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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  8;2-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  cansdien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


\ 


O 


1981 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  ere  checked  below. 


L'institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  proruier.  Les  details 
de  cet  exempj&ire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiq<j6s  ci-dessous. 


□ 
n 

D 
D 

n 

D 
D 


□ 


□ 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  coukur  (i.n.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marc,e  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  teKt.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  .e  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoiit^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  §t6  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 

I    ~V  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
LlJ    Pages  decolorizes,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 

□Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Qualltv  of  pr'r 

Quality  inegale  de  I'inipresoion 

Includes  supplerr^entary  materif 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


I    ~y  Showthrough/ 

I      I    Qualltv  of  pr'nt  varies/ 

I      ]    Includes  supplerr^entary  material/ 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  pr^rtiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  facon  ck 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  fllmd  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


The  frnages  appearing  here  are  the  host  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantus  ont  6t6  reproduites  av<9c  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  coves'  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  imprecision. 


Tha  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^-(Tieaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmds  en  commen9ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  tarminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comports  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tons  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commenipant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparaitru  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  —^  signifie  'A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  (lo  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  lart^e  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
begir.ning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  pianches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvant  dtre 
filmds  &  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdreni's. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  §tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichd,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I  angle  sup6rieur  gaazhe.  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessair^.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mathode. 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

s 


CijLA 


L  E  T  T  E  R  S 


^ 


ON    lUK 


INT  E  C  E  ©  S I T  Y 


OF 


CHEAPENING  TRANSPORT 


BETWEEN 


THE  WEST  AND  THE  OCEAN 


ADDEESSED  TO  TlIE 


MILWAUKEE  SENTINEL 


AND 


CHICAGO    TRIBUNE, 


BT 


(6 


J^   WESTEKrsT   T_HA.DEK," 


MILWAUKEE: 

Jermain  &  Brightman,  Book  and  Job  Printers, 

No.  94  Tvlason  Street 

1868. 


"^^^  vv)%\oN^^;^^tx 


i.t±:tters 


ON 


The  Necessity  of  Cheapening  Transport  from  the  West  to  the 

Ocean. 

lettp:;r  t. 

Sir: — There  is  no  ^vubject  which  can  engage  the  attention 
of  the  Western  peoj^le,  equal  in  importance  to  that  of  lessening 
Ihe  cost  of  transport  of  the  produ':!t8  of  the  West  to  tide  water. 
The  consideration  of  this  matter  is  not  only  of  paramount 
necessity  to  the  producers  of  the  West,  but  it  is  rapidly  gain- 
ing weight  with  tiie  manufacturers  of  the  East,  who  find  it 
necessary  to  make  some  raovement  to  reduce  the  cost  of  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  thus  cheapen  skilled  labor.  I  purpose, 
therefore,  in  one  or  more  letters,  to  consider  as  briefly  as  pos- 
sible, the  i)rescnt  outlets  from  the  West  to  the  ocean, — how 
insnfiicient  they  are  to  reduce  the  cost  of  transport  to  a  mininum 
rate,  and  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  to  accomplisli  so  de- 
sirable a  result.  It  is,  however,  impossible,  to  auapt  the 
means  to  tliis  end,  witliout  taking  into  view,  the  vast  €  xtent  of 
the  western  country,  and  its  probable,  if  not  certain  future. 
Half  a  century  ago,  this  great  western  region  contained  only 
straggling  forts  and  trading  points,  and  now  it  contains  nearly 
one-third  of  the  population  north  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Emigration  from  the  Eastern  Slates  and  ironi  the  Old  AVorld, 
"as  poured  into  it  living  streams.  Its  future  none  can  predict, 
but  judging  from  the  past,  it  will  year  by  year  assume  increasing 
importance,  and  will  wai-rant  the  largest  expenditure  to  accom- 
modate the  vast  trade  which  it  will  furnish  to  its  outlet  chan- 
nels of  commerce.  For  this  trade,  as  it  now  exists,  the  most 
costly  w^orks  have  been  constructed  to  secure  its  advantages  to 
each  of  the  great  Northeastern  Atlantic  cities.  Canada  has 
improved  the  St.  Lawrence  by  a  series  of  magnificent  canals 
around  the  rapids  of  that  river;  and  by  a  canal  which  connects 
Lakes  Ontario  with  Erie;  New  York  has  spanned  the  portage 
between  the  Hudson  and  Lake  Ontario,  by  canals  of  great 
length;    Pennsvlvania    has    connected    the   Atlantic  with    the 


Ohio  River  by  a  canul  over  the  Alleghany  Mountains;  Maryland 
and  Virginia  have  expended  large  sums  in  extending  their 
canals  projected  across  the  same  ban-ier,  while  individual 
enterprise  has  extended  railways  from  the  Atlantic,  almost  to 
the  extremity  of  the  Northwest,  through  Canada,  New  England, 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland. 

The  two  natural  outlet  channels  for  the  trade  of  the 
Northwest,  are  the  Mississippi,  and  the  St.  Lawrence  Rivers. 
The  Mississippi,  the  upper  portion  of  which  runs  along 
the  western  border  of  the  territory,  is  navigable  from 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  for  more  than  two  thousand 
miles  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  great  chain  of  Lakes 
runnin"-  through  the  northern  portions  of  it,  connecting  with 
the  River  and  Gulf  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  give  a  continuous 
navigation  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  miles.  Lake  Superior 
is  six  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  is  twenty- 
seven  feet  above  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan.  At  the  outlet  of 
Lake  Superior  there  is  a  canal  of  one  mile  in  length,  and  it  has 
two  locks  which  will  pass  vessels  of  two  thousand  tons.  The 
Niagara  Iliver  between  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  lias  a  fall  of 
two  hundred  and  seventy  feet.  The  Welland  canal  which  con- 
nects the  navigation  between  these  lakes  is  twenty-eight  miles 
long,  with  twenty-seven  locks  Avhich  which  Avill  pass  vessels  of 
three  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  The  St.  Lawrenee  River,  from 
the  east  end  of  Lake  Ontario  to  Montreal,  has  a  fall  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  feet,  which  is  overcome  by  seven  short 
canals  of  an  aggregate  length  of  forty-seven  miles,  with  twenty- 
seven  locks,  which  will  pass  vessels  of  eight  hundred  tons. 
The  channel  of  the  St,  Lawrence  has  been  deepened  so  that 
sea-going  vessels  drawing  twenty  feet,  at  the  lowest  stage  of 
water,  can  come  up  the  river  as  far  as  Montreal.  All  of  these 
works,  with  the  exception  of  the  outlet  at  Lake  Superior,  have 
been  constructed  by  the  Canadian  Government. 

The  State  of  New  York  has  built  a  canal  from  Buffalo  on 
Lake  Erie,  and  from  Oswego  on  Lake  Ontario,  to  Albany  on 
the  Hudson  River,  a  continued  length  of  five  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  miles,  with  locks  which  allow  the  \  assage  of  boats  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  tons.  New  York  has  also  constructed  a  canal 
sixty-five  miles  long  from  the  Hudson  River  to  Lake  Chami^lain, 
with  locks  wliich  pass  boats  of  eighty  tons.  Such  is  a  brief 
sketch  of  the   aitificial  works  now  existiuLr  and  built  for  the 


purpose  of  attracting  the  commerce  of  these  Western  States 
to  tlie  Atlantic.  It  is  not  necessary  for  my  present  object  to 
allude  to  the  efforts  made  by  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia, 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  in  the  constructior  of 
canals,  as  the  commerce  of  the  West  is  more  dependent  for 
an  outlet  on  the  canals  of  Canada  and  the  State  of  New  York. 
Independent,  however,  of  canals,  as  a  means  of  transport  be- 
tween the  West  and  East,  there  are  the  various  lines  of  railway, 
constructed  by  individual  enterprise,  in  some  cases  assisted  by 
the  Government.  The  first  of  these  extends  from  a  point  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  below  Quebec,  and  from  Portland,  in 
Maine,  through  both  Eastern  and  Western  Canada  to  the  State 
of  Michigan.  The  second  extends  from  Boston  to  Montreal, 
and  the  Eastern  end  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  to  Albany,  where  it 
connects  with  the  central  line  through  the  State  of  New  York. 
The  third  extends  by  two  lines  from  the  oity  of  New  York  to 
Lake  Erie,  and  from  thence  westward  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Erie  to  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  St.  Louis  and  Cincinnati.  The 
fourth  extends  from  Philadelphia  to  the  Ohio  River,  connecting 
with  the  third  line  at  Cleveland,  and  the  fifth  line  extends  from 
Baltimore  to  the  Ohio  River.  Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  are 
connected  with  the  Mississippi  at  Cairo,  St.  Louis,  Alton, 
Quincy,  Dubuque,  Prairie  du  Chien,  La  Crosse,  St  Paul,  andfrom 
each  of  these  lines  others  radiate  in  every  direction.  This  territory 
then,  of  the  Northwest,  as  thus  described,  has  within  itself  an 
artificial  water  navigation  of  one  thousand  miles,  and  eight 
thou.sand  miles  of  railway  in  operation,  besides  more  in  pro- 
gress. It  has  two  natural  ami  two  artificial  water  lines  leading 
to  the  ocean,  besides  five  great  trunk  lines  of  railway  extending 
to  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

The  ocean  ports  at  the  termini  of  the  two  natural  water  lines, 
are  Montreal  and  New  Orleans,  and  those  as  the  termini  of  the 
two  artificial  water  lines  are  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The 
ocean  ports  at  the  termini  of  the  trunk  railways,  ^are  Quebec, 
Portland,  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore^  I 
have  thus  presented  to  your  readers,  a  brief,  but  I  believe  a 
true  sketch  of  the  means,  natural  and  artificial,  upon  which  the 
people  of  this  great  Northwest  territory  have  to  depend  for 
the  transport  of  their  products  to  a  market,  and  the  question 
now  comes  up,  are  these  means  sufficient  for  the  future,  and  ie 
the  cost   of  that  transport  now,  as  cheap  as  it  may  be  mado  ? 


6 


The  furtlier  greatneee  of  the  trado  of  the  Northwest,  needs 
ncithor  iUustration  nor  argument.  Its  development  in  the  last 
twenty-fiv(i  years,  from  almost  nothing,  to  an  export  of  cereals' 
equal  to  ninety  millions  bushels  from  Lake  Michigan  alone,  is 
of  itself  a  fact  so  astonishing,  as  to  j.repare  ns  to  accept  the 
most  startling  speculations.  Previous  to  the  year  1825,  the 
trade  of  the  lakes  was  trifling.  The  Erie  Canal  was  opened  in 
that  year,  and  the  tide  of  emigration  began  to  move  with  great 
force  to  the  Lakes.  Hitherto  the  trade  of  the  West  had  mostly 
taken  the  route  of  the  Mississippi  River.  For  fifteen  years  the 
influx  of  emigration  was  such  as  to  consume  the  greater  part 
of  the  surplus  productions.  Emigration  continued,  and  still 
continues  with  an  increasing  ratio,  and  the  fixed  population  is 
rapidly  gaining  on  its  surplus  production  over  all  domestic 
demands.  The  Eastern  bound  tonnage  of  the  Erie  Canal  de- 
rived from  the  Lakes  in  the  year  1830,  was  54,219  tons.  In 
1853,  it  was  2,213,690  tons,  or  twenty-two  fold  in  seventeen 
years,  and  in  1861,  it  was  not  much  less  than  4,200,000  tons, 
and  before  18*70  it  wiU  probably  exceed  5,500,000  tons  as  the 
surplus  product  of  the  West  moving  East,  and  were  all  this 
business  done  through  the  Erie  Canal  the  total  movement  would 
exceed  9,000,000  tons.  Why,  look  at  the  growth  of  Chicago 
alone,  the  chief  collecting  point  of  this  western  region.  From 
a  miserable  village  of  log  huts,  with  a  handful  of  the  usual 
hangers  on  of  a  military  outpost,  it  has  within  a  period  of  thirty 
years  become  a  great  city,  with  a  population  in  1868,  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  when  in  1838,  it  had 
only  a  population  of  seventy- eight,  and  where  the  arrivals  and 
departures  of  vessels,  and  railway  trains  are  exceeded  by  New 
York  alone.  Then,  when  it  is  considered  how  insignificant  a 
]>art  of  the  vast  territory  tributary  to  the  commerce  of  the 
Lakes  is  yet  occupied  and  cvltivated,  no  one  can  for  a  moment 
doubt  that  great  as  the  increase  of  the  West  has  been  in  popu- 
lation and  production,  during  the  last  thirty  years,  this  increase 
will  be  still  greater  in  the  next  thirty  years.  The  State  of 
Minnesota,  for  instance,  contains  an  area  of  52,000,000  acres. 
In  1859,  she  imported  wheat  and  5our  for  consumption,  and  in 
1865,  10,000,000  bushels  wheat  were  harvested.  In  1864,  no 
railways  existed  there,  and  now  there  are  upwards  of  six 
hundred  miles,  but  I  must  defer  further  remarks  on  this  impor- 
tant subject  to  my  next  letter.  A  Westerx  TpwVder. 


I 


LETTER   11.  i 

Sir:— In  coneludiug  my  last  letter  I  alliuled   to  the   rapid 
growth  of  the  North-Westerii  States  in  population  and  pro- 
duction, and  expressed  the  opinion  that  in  the  nature  of  things, 
that  growth  would  be  as  great  in  the  next  thirty  years  as  it  had 
been  in  the  past.     I  also  pointed  out  the  various  canals  now 
existing  in  Canada  and  the  State  of  New  York,  by  Avhich  the 
products  of  the  West  now  reach  tide-water,  and  <hc  question  I 
liavc  now  to  investigate  in  this   letter,  is  how  the  present  cost 
of  transportation   can  be  cheapened.     When  DeWitt  Clinton 
first  projected  the  Erie  Canal,  about  the  year   1S19,  he  was 
denounced  as  a  visionary  and  a  mad  theorist,  for  expressing  his 
opinion  of  the  commerce  which  would  flow  through  it.     Yet  it 
was  not  two  years   afcer  the  completion  of  the  canal,  in   1825, 
when  it  became  evident  that  the  canal  was  too  small  and  that 
its  enlargement  was  an  imperative  necessity.     At  that  time  it 
accommodated  boats  of   seventy-eight  tons  average,  and  has 
since  been  enlarged  for  the  use  of  boats  of  250  tons.     By  this 
enlargement  the  cost  of  transport  between  Buffalo  and  Albany 
has  been  reduced  about  seventy-five  per  cent-     In  Canada  the 
first  canals  were  constructed  with  locks  of  nineteen  feet,  these 
were  enlarged  to  twenty-four  feet,  and  the  canals  in  the  St. 
Lawrence  river,  which  were  constructed  to  overcome  tiie  rapids 
between  Lake  Ontario  and  Montreal,  have  locks  of  forty-five 
and  fitty-five  feet,  and  200  feet  in  length,  with  a  depth  of  water 
of  nine  feet.     The  key  of  the  whole  St.  Lawrence  route,  how- 
ever, is  the   Welland   Canal,  which    connects  lakes  Erie  and 
Ontario.     This   work  had   originally   locks    of   nineteen   feet, 
which  were  unfortunately  enlarged  to  only  twenty-six  feet,  and 
while  the  other  canals  on  the  St.  Lawrence  can  pass  through 
vessels  of  800  tons,  the  Welland  Canal  only  admits  vessels  of 
350  tons.     The  great  mistake,  therefore,  which  Canada  and  the 
State  of  New  York  originally  made,  was  the  inadequate  view 
of  the  future  trade  of  th(^.  West,  for  which  their  public  works 
were   designed,  and  not  adapting  them  to  that  future.     But 
while  this  "state  of  things  cannot  now  be  altered,  the  same  res- 
ponsibility rests   with  ns   in   providing  cheaper  transport  and 
facilities  for  the  present  and  future  trade,  as  rested  upon  those 
who  have  preceded  us.     Every  one  engaged  in  the  trade  fron) 
Lake  ^^lichiiran  knows  that  the  average  cost  of  moving  a  busljel  of 


s 


wheat  from  Chicago  or  Milwaukee  to  BtilValo  is  about  ten  cents, 
the  charges  thoro  are  about  two  and  three-fourtha  cents,  and 
with  an  average  freight  from  IJuffaloto  New  York  of  seventeen 
cents  we  have  in  round  numbers  thirty  cents  freight  on  every 
bushel  of  grain  from  Lake  Michigan  to  New  York,  besides  insur- 
ance. This  is  also  about  the  rate  of  freight  via.  Oswego  to  New 
York.  Tn  the  one  case  tho  largest  class  of  sailing  vessels  and 
propeller.'^  take  cargo  to  Buffalo  and  thence  it  is  transferred  into 
the  Erie  canal  boats,  varying  from  100  up  to  250  tons.  In  tho 
other  case,  via.  Oswego,  shipments  from  this  lake  have  to  bo 
made  in  sail  vessels  and  propellers  of  about  HSO  tons,  capable 
of  passing  through  the  Welland  Canal,  and  at  Oswego,  as  at 
Buffalo,  the  cargo  is  transferre.l  to  the  boats  of  the  Erie  Canal. 
Taking  the  equivalent  rates  of  freight  from  Lake  Michigan  to 
the  ocean  port  of  Montreal,  the  cost  of  transport  would,  in 
present  currency,  be  about  twenty-two  cents  per  bushel.  It 
would  seem,  therefore,  that  so  far  as  the  export  tr.'ide  to  Europe 
is  concerned,  Montreal  could  now  successfully  compete  with  Ncav 
York.  This  advantage,  however,  seemi^  greater  than  it  really  is. 
The  great  bulk  of  the  ships  .arriving  from  sea  at  Quebec,  come 
.  in  ballast, — as  to  New  Orleans,  hence  the  freight  outward  has  to 
be  relied  on  to  pav  for  the  voyage  inward  and  outward,  or  for  both 
voyages.  New  York  is  a  larger  market,  the  inward  voyage  is  more 
remujierative,  hence  the  outward  rates  of  freight  are  generally 
from  twenty-five  to  fifty  per  cent,  less  than  ocean  rates  at  Mon- 
treal. This  difference  is,  however,  gradually  becoming  less,  for 
jn  tlic  ten  years,  from  1840  up  to  1854,  the  average  rate  of  ocean 
freights  were  100 per  cent,  higher  than  at  Ncav  York.  Insurance 
then,  was  also  much  higher  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Europe  than 
at  New  York,  but  the  erection  of  light-houses  and  other  improve" 
raents,  has  resulted  in  the  summer  rates  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
being  made  nearly  as  low  as  from  New  York,  and  these  amelio- 
rations are  being  continued.  I  ha\ti  gone  into  this  detail  of 
Canadi.an  trade  and  transport  to  explain  to  your  readers  why  it 
is  there  is  not  a  larger  export  trade  via.  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Then  again,  nlthough  the  export  trade  of  cereals  to  Europe  is 
a  large  one,  et  it  is  a  well  ascertan  ed  fixct,  that  about  five- 
eightlis  of  the  Avhole  sliipments  of  cereals  from  the  Western 
States  are  consumed  in  the  Eastern  non-producing  wheat 
states,  and  only  about  three-eighths  are  exported.  But 
whether  exported  to  Europe  or  to  other  countries,  or  consumed 


'i 


in  the  Eustcni  states,  the  great  ami  important  principle  remains, 
that  the  price  the  Western  producer,  or  farmer,  gets  for  his 
wheat  or  other  grain,  is  the  price  which  it  sells  for  in  the  con- 
suming market,  loss  the  charges  for  transport,  handling,  etc, — , 
no  matter  whether  that  market  be  in  Europe,  Canada,  or  the 
Eastern  States ;  and  every  cent  which  can  be  saved  in  that 
tranHj)ort  is  so  much  added  to  the  value  of  every  bushel  of 
grain  now  producsed,  (»r  will  ever  be  produced  in  these  grain 
growing  states  of  the  Northwest.  To  illustrate  this  principle, 
let  me  suppose  a  farmer  having  1,000  bushels  of  wheat  for  sale 
in  Milwaukee,  the  price  of  the  wheat  in  New  York  i^,  say  two 
dollars,  and  the  freight,  commission,  etc.,  say  thirty  centi^ — the 
merchant  here,  can  of  course,  only  give  one  dollar  and  seventy 
<3ents.  ]>ut  suppose  the  freight,  commission,  etc.,  arising  from 
an  improved  transport  to  be  only  twenty  cents,  it  follows  that 
the  merchant  eould  in  such  event  as  easily  give  one  dollar  and 
eighty  cents  as  one  dollar  and  seventy  cents.  By  this  improve- 
ment in  transport  the  farmer  would  either  get  ten  cents  more 
for  his  wheat,  or  he  could  sell  his  eastern  neighbor  for  ten  cents 
less  and  yet  be  as  well  off  as  he  is  now.  There  can,  therefore, 
be  no  (piestion  about  the  fact,  for  it  is  too  plain  for  argument, 
that  the  people  of  the  whole  country,  not  only  West,  but  East, 
are  interested  in  the  highest  degree  in  reducing  the  cost  of 
transport  to  the  lowest  possible  figure,  and  that  it  is  the  ab -solute 
duty  not  only  of  the  governments  of  the  several  states  to  give 
their  attention  to  this  important  matter,  but  also  of  the  general 
government  at  Washington.  The  means  of  accomplishing  the 
■cud  in  view,  must,  liowever,  be  deferred  to  anoth-     letter. 

A  Westeu.i   Tradku. 


LETTER  irr. 


Sm: — In  previous  letters  I  alluded  to  the  immense  ratio  in 
which  the  trade  of  the  Western  States  has  yearly  continued  to 
increase,  and  pointed  out  the  insufficiency  of  the  existing  artifi- 
cial outlets  from  the  lakes  to  the  ocean,  to  accommodate  the 
over  increasing  tide  of  produce  which  annually  sots  from  the 
West  to  the  East,  and  I  now  propose  to  point  out  the  means  by 
which  an  immense  annual  saving  can  be  secured  for  all  time  to 


10 


i  t 


come,  benefitting  not  only  the  people  of  tin*  Western,  but  also 
of  the  Eastern  States  and  Canada. 

Experience  has  provjd  that  the  larger  the  vessel  the  cheaper 
the  cost  of  conveyrnce.  This  of  course  lias  a  limit  somewhe^e^ 
,)ut  the  size  of  the  vessel,  will  in  a  great  degree,  be  regulatedi 
by  tl;e  depth  of  water  in  the  lake  harbors.  Heretofore  the  slial- 
lowest  part  of  the  lake  navigation  w.vS  on  the  Lake  St.  Clair 
Flats,  but  that  obstruction  is  now  being  removed.  The  short 
canal  built  by  the  United  States  Government,  which  gives 
access  to  Lake  Superior,  has  locks  thn.*e  hundred  feet  in  length 
by  sevcnty-tive  feet  wide,  with  a  deptli  of  water  of  twelve  feet 
This  depth  of  water  may  be  assumed  as  the  capacity  cf  lake 
harbor.?.  The  artitic'il  w^orks  necessary  for  the  improvement  of 
the  navigation  should  be  designed,  in  accordance  Avith  the 
natural  magnitude  of  that  navigation  The  depth  of  water, 
therefore,  in  the  lake  harbors,  limits  the  size  of  a  essels  for  the 
navigation.  The  present  state  of  our  knowledge  is,  that  pro- 
pellers area  cheaper  mode  of  conveyance  than  side-wheel  steam- 
ers, and  are  destined  to  supersede  .sailing  vessels.  The  sugges- 
tion now  made  for  cheapening  transport,  is  that  it  is  necces 
sary  that  all  the  canals  on  the  route  from  west  to  east 
should  be  adapted  for  propellers  of  850  tons  burthen,  with 
a  depth  of  twelve  feet  water.  The  AVelland  Canal,  Avhich  con- 
nects lakes  Erie  imd  Ontario,  is  by  far  the  most  important  arti- 
ficial passage  for  western  trade.  This  canal,  as  I  before  stated 
has  now  locks  of  150  feet  by  twenty-six  feet,  a«id  renders  the 
larger  sized  locks  on  the  St.  Lawrence  nnavailable  for  western 
commerce.  In  the  construction,  therefore  of  new  Avorks,  while 
it  Avould  be  necessary  to  adapt  the  locks  to  the  width  of  the  St^ 
Lawrence  canals  of  forty-five  {'est,  the  length  of  the  lock 
should  be  300  feet.  The 'expense  of  this  new  Welland  Canal 
has  been  estimated  at  six  million  of  dollars  in  gold,  for  a  com- 
plete steamer  navigation,  and  would  leave  the  existing  canal,  in 
the  undisturbed  possession  of  sail  craft,  tantamount  to  doubling 
its  capacity  for  trade.  The  next  obstruction  to  navigation  on 
the  above  scale,  are  ^ne  canals  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  locks 
on  which  are  not  less  than  forty-five  feet  in  wif^lh,  and  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  but  these  would  require  to  be  lengthened  to 
three  hundred  feot  to  correspond  with  the  proposed  new  Wel- 
land. The  cost  of  this  lengthening  of  the  locks  of  these 
canals,  has  already  been  estimated  by  the  Eiiginecr-in-Chief 
in  Canada,  at  ^l,oi28,000.  who  stated  that  the  rebuilding  and 
alterations  can  be  effected  in  the  Winter  and  S[)ring  without 
obstruction  to  navigation.  Propellers  would  descend  tlie  rapi'^s 
and  not  use  the  canals  on  the  downward  trip.  At  present  ves- 
sels drawing  nine  feet  des(;endth  i  rapids,buta  survey  made  some 
time  ago  shows  that  an  unobstruct  'd  navigation  of  these  rapids  can 
be_ secured  of  thirteen  feet  depth  at  lowest  water  for  .1^720,000. 
With  these  improvements,  the  propeller  of  S'lO  ions  could  loa-l 
at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  or  on  Lake  JMichigan  and  sail 
direct  to  Montreal  without  breaking  bulk.     So  fnr  as  the  export 


ulso 


11 

trade  to  Europe  is  concerned,  tliis  would  be  all  tluit  is  needed, 
but,  as  already  stated,  the  trade  of  the  Eastern  States  with  tlie 
Western  States  is  of  far  greater  importance  and  greatly  exceeds 
all  the  export  trade.  T^he  distance  between  Lake  Chaniplain 
and  the  St.  Lawrence,  at  or  near  Montreal,  is  twenty-eight  miles, 
and  the  difference  of  level  between  the  lake  and  river  at  Caugh- 
nawaga  is  only  twenty-five  feet,  the  lake  being  the  highest,  and 
the  construction  of  a  canal  to  connect  these  two  waters  has  for 
a  long  time  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Canadian  Governmsnt 
.and  lias  been  reported  on  by  several  eminent  engineers.  Its 
cost  is  estimated  at  82,250,000.  With  this  canal  constructed, 
the  propeller  from  the  upper  lakes  could  then  proceed  from  the 
St.  Lawrence  on  to  Burlington  or  Whitehall  on  Lake  Champlain 
and  tlius  could  discharge  her  cargo  trom  tlie  West  for  distribu- 
tion throughout  the  New  England  states,  .at  a  port  tifteen  miles 
nearer  Boston  than  Albany,  and  she  could  take  in  a  returning  cargo 
for  the  AVestofthe  manufactures,  etc,  of  New  England  and 
deliver  them  at  the  upper  lake  ports  without  breaking  bulk. 
But,  let  me  ask  why  should  the  canal  which  now  connects  Lake 
Champlain  witli  the  lludson  River  not  be  enlarged,  so  as  to 
enable  the  propeller  of  850  tons,  from  the  West,  to  ])roceed 
onward  to  New  York.  The  great  object  I  have  in  view  of  the 
utmost  cheapening  of  transport  cannot  be  fully  realized  without 
this  improvement  of  the  New  York  Cl.'amplain  Canal.  But  Aviil 
the  State  of  New  York  provide  such  improvement'/  or  will  jeal- 
ousy for  the  revenue  of  the  Erie  Canal  induce  her  to  refuse  any 
co-operation  that  may  benefit  the  Canada  route?  Would  there 
not  be,  however,  a  vast  influence  created  by  the  presence  .at 
Whitehall  of  an  850  ton  propeller  direct  from  these  upper  lakes 
without  breaking  bulk?  I  believe  the  influence  would  come 
w'th  great  power,  and  if  my  views  are  correct  as  to  the  future 
of  western  trade,  the  time  has  come  when  it  has  become  an 
imperative  necessity  to  providt?  for  its  increasing  volume.  I 
know  there  are  many  who  may  not  have  the  same  faith  as  I  have 
in  that  future  trade,but  history  so  far  has  verified  my  view  of  it, 
and  nothing  can  be  more  certain, than  that  the  existing  enlarged 
Erie  Canal  will  soon  be  found  wholly  Inadequate  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  trade  of  the  West.  If  the  route  through  Canada 
was  opened  as  I  now  suggest  and  in  complete  order,  the  two 
routes  would  excitcj  a  salutary  competition,  and  give  a  vast  im- 
pulse to  the  Weste'>'n  trade.  Both  would  be  well  supported  and 
steadily  grow  together  in  the  enjoyment  of  its  increasing  volume, 
and  with  these  views  there  is  no  occasion  for  jealousy.  It  is  out 
of  the  power  of  any  state  to  prevent  this  increase  o^'  western 
trade; — nature  has  settled  the  question,  and  it  .s  :  matter,  as  I 
conceive,  beyond  all  question,  that  it  will  reach  a  nuignitude 
..nparalleled  in  the  history  of  internal  connnerce.  The  city  of 
New  York  lias  a  great  interest  in  improving  ihe  New  York  Cham- 
plain Canal  and  adapting  it  for  the  850  ton  i»ropoller,  and  if  the 
state  should  d<^cline  to  make  it  they  may  give  the  ])ower  to  an 
incorporated  company,  and  it  would  be  no  great  affair  for  the 


12  . 

-city  to  provide  the  ainoiint  of  cost,  about  $5,000,000  Let  this 
entire  enterprise  be  properly  completed  and  a  merchant  at  Chi- 
•cago  or  Milwaukee  may  draw  his  bill  on  New  York  or  Montreal 
on  a  cargo  of  produce  at  fifteen  days  and  depend  with  almost  a 
certainty  on  the  arrival  of  the  vessel,  and  the  sale  and  collection 
•of  proceeds  in  time  to  meet  the  draft.  The  idea  of  a  vessel 
of  850  tons  loading  at  an  inland  port  and  proceeding  without 
breaking  bulk  two  thousand  miles  to  reach  a  port  on  the  ocean, 
has  no  equal  on  the  globe. 

i  must,  however,  defer  further  remarks  on  this   subject  to 
another  letter.  A  Westkkn  Trader. 


LETTER    IV. 


Silt: — In  following  up  the  conclusions  of  my  last  letter,  I 
have  to  state  that  the  cost  of  all  the  necessary  works,  to  com- 
plete and  adapt  the  navigation  from  the  Western  Lakes  to 
Montreal  and  New  York,  for  propellers  of  8J0  tons,  would  be 
418  follows: 

The  New  Welland  Canal ^6.000,000 

Lfiiglhenihg  the  Lockrf  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Canals 1,028,000 

Improvini?  the  Rapfds  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  13  feet.  .  .  720  000 

The  Caughnawa?a  Canal 2,500,000 

New  York  Champlain  Canal 5,000,000 

Improving  the  Hudson  Hiver 1,000,000 

$16,300,000 

Most  of  these  figures  are  taken  from  rejiorts,  are  based  on 
•actual  surveys  of  the  work  to  be  done,  and  sufiiciently 
accurate  for  comparison.  I  shall  now  advert  to  the  saving 
which  would  b^'  effected  by  the  employment  of  the  850  ton 
propeller  or  sailing  vessel,  in  transport,  by  the  improvements 
suggested.  Raw  commodities  and  those  of  considerable  bulk 
rf  weight  must  necessarily  be  transported  by  the  cheapest 
conveyance,  and  while  the  railways  will  enjoy  the  monopoly  of 
carrying  valuable  goods  in  proportion  to  their  bulk  and  those 
of  a  perishable  character,  the  propeller  and  sailing  vessel  will 
carry  the  wheat  and  other  grains,  the  provisions,  ore,  &c. 
During  the  last  twenty  years,  the  demands  of  trade  have  caused 
a  vast  increase  in  the  size  of  vessels  everywhere.  The  New 
York  packet  ship  has  been  enlarged  from  two  hundred  and 
fifty  to  fifteen  hundred  tons,  and  steamers  of  three  thousand 
tons  are  now  in  common  use  upon  the  ocean.  On  the  Lakes 
small  vessels  only  were  a'  first  employed,  and  vessels  four 
times  the  size  of  those  employed  u  few  years  since, 
are  now  in  use,  and  wherever  there  is  a  sufficient  am.ount  of 
trade,  the  cost  of  transport  is  reduced  by  increasing  the  size  of 
the  vessel.  Exp<'rienced  navigators  on  the  Lakes,  estimate 
the  cost  of  transport  at  one-fourth  less  by  the  large  vessels  now 


13 


saving 


)1 


I 


! 


employed,   tliaii    by    the    small  vessels   fbrineily  in   use.     The 
tendency  of  late  years   has  been  towards  the  increase  of  the 
class  of  steamers  called  propellers,  of  great  carrying  capacity, 
with  engines  adapted  to  a  slow  speed  to  obtain  the  greatest 
economy  of  fuel.     The  first  of  this  class  of  vessels  employed' 
were  of  small   size,  but  experience  proved,  that  tlie   greatest 
economy  was  obtained  by  enlarging  them  to  the  greatest  size 
the  lake  harbors  would   admit.     The  celerity  and  certainty  of 
their   voyages,  will  alwaya  give  them  a  preference,  for  their 
charges  are  less   than  the  railway,  their  deliveries  are  prompt 
and  but  little  longer.     AVith  the  improvements  in    the    naviga- 
tion completed  r-nd  adapted  for  the  850  ton  propeller  taking 
cargo,  without  breaking  bulk,  from  the  upper  Lakes  to  Montreal 
or  New  York,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  the  cost  of  transport 
would   00  greatly  reduced  below  the  rates  now  paid.     ]>y  the 
expendituvc  of  fourteen  millions  of  dollars  on  the  Erie  Canal, 
the  state  of  New  York  opened  a  route  by  which  a  ton  of  freight 
could  be  conveyed  from  Chicago  to  New  York  City  for  $8.64, 
and  by  a   further  expenditure  of  twenty-two  million  dollars  in 
enlarging    her    canal  she    reduced    the    cost   of  transport  to- 
$5.56  per  ton.     Now  supposing  the  reduction  in  cost  of  trans-^ 
port,  by  enlarging  the  various   canals   and  adapting  improve- 
ments  for  the  vessel  of  850  tons,  as  proposed,  to  be  only  ono- 
dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  ton  less  than  i)resent  I'ates,  (and  emi- 
nent engineers  have  estimated  it  much  higher)  this  would  be  a 
reduction  of  five  cents  per  bushel      Now,  let  me  point  out  what 
the  saving  would  be  in  one  year  on  the  grain  shipped  from  Lake 
Michigan  alone.    The  exports  of  grain  and  flour  from  this  lake  have 
already  amounted  in  one  year,  equal  to  ninety  million  of  bush- 
els, raid  within  two  years  will  no  doubt  exceed  one  hundred 
million  bushels.     I  have  stated  that  the  average  freight  of  this 
ijrain  from  Lake  Michieran  to  New  York,  is  about  thirty  cents 
per  bushel,  including  2^  cents  for  transferring  cargo  and  other 
charges  at  Buffalo.     A  deduction  of  5  cents  per  bushel,  on  one 
hundred  millions  of  bushels,  would  be  live  millions  of  dollars  in 
one  year,   which  would  represent   a   capital   of  about  ninety 
millions  of  dollars,  at  six  per  cent,  interest,  while  the  total  cost 
of  the  impro\ements  I  have  suggested,  would  not  exceed  seven- 
teen million  dollars  in  gold.     But  this  is  not  the  full   extent  of 
the  saving.     I  have  shown  that  by  these   improvements,    the 
vessel  could   sail  direct  to  Montreal,  Lake  Champlain  or  New 
York,  without  breaking  bulk,  and  the  2^-  cents  now  paid   at 
Buftblo  for  transhipment  charges  there,  would  also  be  saved,, 
making  seven  and  a  half  millions,  instead  of  five  millions,  on 
the  grain  from  Lake  Michigan  alone.     I  have  not  alluded  to,  or 
taken  into  account,  the  great  provision  trade  so  rapidly  growing 
up,  nor  have  I  taken  in  the  vast  trade  which  will  sc   soon   exist 
on  Lake  Superior,  neither  have  I  alluded  to  the  grain,  and  other 
exports  from  Lakes  Huron,  Krie,  and  Ontario.  Ihave prcferred.to- 
single  out  the  one  greatluctof  the  present  grain  exports  from  this 
Lake,  so  that  any  one  can  see  at  a  glance  the  enormous  importance- 


u 


and  udvantuge  of  perfecting  the  navigation  from  the  West  to 
the  East.  Bear  in  mind  also,  that  the  saving  in  transport,  on 
Western  imports  from  the  J^Jast,  will  also  amonnt  to  a  very  large 
snm  annually.  Nor  should  it  be  forgotten,  that  in  conjunction 
■with  the  proposed  improvements  in  navigation  would  be  the  crea- 
tion of  thegreatestfacilities  in  such  ports  as  Quebec,  Montreal  and 
New  York,  for  the  rapid  discharge  of  the  interior  vessel,  and  for 
lessening  charges  at  these  ports  to  the  greatest  possible  extent. 

Before  closing  this  ])art  of  my  letter,  it  is  well  I  should  allude 
to  other  projects  than  those  I  have  been  advocating,  which  liavo 
received  considerable  su])port,  and  have  also  for  their  object 
the  cheapening  of  transportation  between  the  West  and  East. 

Efforts  have  been  made  and  are  now  making  to  export 
western  products  via  the  Mississippi  River  and  New  Orleans. 
A  barge  system  for  grain  lias  been  introduced,  and  agents  are 
preparing  to  grant  through  Bills  of  Lading  from  the  Upper 
xMississippi,  St.  Louis,  <fec.  The  cost  of  transport  by  this  route 
must  be  more  expensive  than  the  Eastern  route.  At  New 
Orleans  there  is  a  limited  demand  for  the  agricultural  produc- 
tions of  the  upper  ])ortion  of  the  nvers.  The  vessels  from 
New  Orleans,  have  large  export  cargcos  of  the  productions  of 
the  lower  country,  and  a  very  limited  amount  of  return  freight, 
and  have  an  increased  length  of  voyage  to  reach  European 
}>orts.  com}>ared  Avith  those  sailing  troni  the  Northeastern 
Atlantic  ports.  .The  climate  of  the  lower  country  injuriously 
affects  most  of  the  products  of  the  Northwest,  and  diminishes 
their  value  when  shipped  by  that  route.  The  expense  of  trans- 
ferring cargoes  at  New  Orleans,  will,  I  think,  be  greater  than 
at  the  Northeast.  All  these  circumstances  combine  to  the  preju- 
dice of  this  route,  and  will  probably  confine  the  exports  by  it 
to  a  narrow  belt  along  the  Ohio,  and  along  the  Upper  Missis- 
sippi, between  Cairo  and  Des  Moines  Rapids. 

Few  persons  can  look  at  the  map  of  the  great  lakes,  without 
noticing  the  narroAv  isthmuses  which  in  several  places  divide 
them,  aud  particularly  the  nearness  with  which  the  Georgian 
Bay  of  Lake  Huron,  and  Lake  Simcoe  which  empties  into  it, 
approach  to  Lake  Ontario.  By  cutting  Ihrougn  an  isthmus  of 
about  ninety  miles  a  savin ir  of  four  hundred  miles  in  distance 
would  be  made  from  Chicago  to  Oswego.  This  project  has 
again  been  revived,  and  sometime  ago  a  convention  of  delegates 
from  Oswego  and  Chicago  met  to  deliberate  upon  it.  This 
■  project  looks  very  Avell  on  the  map,  but  when  a  section  of  the 
land  dividing  Lake  Ontario  and  Lake  Huron,  is  examined, 
almost    insuperable    diiiiculties    a|»pear     in    its    construction. 

Surveys  of  this  project  have  been  made.  Lake  Simcoe  is 
475  feet  above  Ontario,  and  110  feet  above  Huron,  making  a 
total  of  586  feet  lockage  against  300  feet  by  the  Welland 
Canal  and  St.  Clair  liivei ,  Moreover,  there  is  a  summit  ridge 
between  Lakes  Simcoe  md  Ontario,  which  can  not  be  locked 
over  on  account  of  the  deficiency  of  water  to  su])ply  the  sum- 
mit level,  and  mnst  he  cut  through  and  fed  from  Lake   Simcoe. 


) 


est   to 

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They  would  require,  (according  to  the  Engineer's  Reports)  a 
cutting  2U()fcct  deep  for  some  two  viiies^  and  an  average  cutting 
of  some  eighty  feet  deep  fur  six  miles  and  a  half  No  such  cut 
as  tliis  was  c\  er  made  on  any  work,  and  by  giving  the  banks  of 
the  cut  a  slope  of  one  and  a  half  feet  to  one  i'oot  in  depth,  the 
opening  on  the  surface  would  be  eight  hundred  feet.  Still,  this 
is  considered  «[uite  a  trifle  by  the  fi'iends  of  the  project.  Its 
estimated  cost  is  825,000,000,  but  more  likely  to  be  forty  mil- 
lions. Of  course  the  improvements  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
Canals,  the  Caughnawaga  Canal,  and  the  New  York  Champlain 
Canal,  M-ould  liave  to  be  added  to  the  above  sum.  Tlie  next 
j)roject,  which  has  also  been  warmly  advocated  by  many,  is 
v/hat  is  called  the  Ottawa  Canal,  to  connect  Montreal  with  Lake 
Huron,  via  Lake  Nippising  and  French  Kiver,  which  has  been 
surveyed  and  re})orted  on. 

This  project  also  shortens  the  distance  from  Chicago  or  Milwau- 
kee  to  Montreal,  about  430  miles.  To  understand  its  merits  I 
would  begin  by  stating,  that  it  is  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice 
in  the  Straits  of  Macinac,  in  the  spring,  which  opens  navi- 
gation and  it  is  the  closing  of  these  Straits  by  ice  in  the 
fall,  which  puts  an  end  to  navigation  for  the  year.  Now,  su})- 
))Ose  two  propellers  of  eight  hundred  and  iifty  lons,  leaving 
Milwaukee  together,  bound  for  Montreal,  one  by  the  Wel- 
land  Canal,  and  the  other  by  the  Otta^va  route.  Both 
vessels  keep  together,  as  far  as  the  point  in  Lake  Huron,  where 
it  is  necessary  for  one  to  diverge  to  enter  the  French  Itiver. 
This  river  has  to  be  ascended  by  a  lockage  of  seventy  live  feet 
to  reach  the  summit  level  in  Lake  Nippising,  and  of  course 
there  has  to  be  lockage  of  seventv-five  feet  more  to  iret  back  to 
the  k-vel  of  Lake  Huron.  This  engrafts  on  the  route  150  feet 
more  lockage  than  on  the  Welland  Canal  route.  The  Ottawa 
River  is  reached  through  the  river  Mattawan,  both  of  which 
are  dammed  u})  in  a  arious  places  to  admit  of  their  navigation, 
making  them  nothing  more  or  less  than  large  canals.  At  night 
it  would  be  almost  impossible  for  the  proj^eller  to  sail  except 
very  slowly,  while  the  other  propeller  couhl  sail  by  night  as 
well  as  by  day,  at  her  full  speed.  The  whoh;  lockage  would  be 
at  one  j)lace,  on  the  Welland  Canal,  for  the  St.  Lawrence  Canals 
would  net  require  to  be  used  on  the  downward  voyage.  Now, 
I  have  never  seen  a  shij)  master,  who  has  not  acknowledged 
that  the  proj^eller  would  sooner  be  in  Montreal  by  the  long  rout(; 
than  he  could  be  by  the  shorter  one  of  four  hundred  miles,  and 
from  the  more  northern  position  of  Lake  Nippising,  navigation 
would  be  later  in  opening  and  sooner  closed.  Tlie  estimated 
<!ost  of  this  woi'k  is  $24,000,009,  (but  probably  forty  millions),  and 
added  to  this  again,  would  be  the  cost  of  the  CaughnaAvaga 
Cana?,  and  New  York  Champlain  Canal,  Avithout  Avhieh,  the 
•  propeller  via  the  OttaAva  could  neither  reach  New  York  nor  Lake 
Champlain. 

It  may  also  be  Avell  to  explrau  that  I  am  adverse  to  the  con- 
struction of  a  car^jAsaround  the  falls  of  Niaorara  on  the  American 


10 


side,  for  the  simple  reason  that  all  engineers  admit  that  the 
Canadian  side  of  the  river  is  hest  adapted  for  it.  As  a  general 
rule  harbors  and  canals  on  the  north  side,  open  sooner  in  spring 
than  harbors  or  canals  on  the  south  side.  The  Welland  Canal 
is  frequently  open  ten  or  fifteen  days  earlier  than  the  port  of 
Buifalo.  Such  is  also  the  fact  as  regards  the  Beauharnois 
Canal,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  is  supposed  to  result  from  the 
then  prevalence  of  Northwest  winds.  In  a  work  of  such  impor- 
tance, involving  such  large  interests,  that  place  should  be  chosen 
for  its  location  which  would  best  promote  the  general  welfare 
of  the  people  of  both  the  United  States  and  Canada.  Theii* 
interests  are  identical.  Canada  cannot  make  an  improvement, 
the  result  of  Avhich  is  to  lessen  charges  of  transport,  or  of 
handling  western  produce  in  her  harbors,  that  is  not  advanta- 
geous to  the  people  of  the  West,  nor  can  a  light  house  be  erecto(J 
on  the  Upper  Lakes,  which  is  not  a  matter  of  advantage  to 
the  people  of  both  countries. 

It  is  true  that  most  of  the  works  herein  referred  to  as  neces- 
sary to  lessen  the  cost  of  transport  between  the  West  and  the 
East,  must  be  constructed  in  Canadian  territory,  but  the  ad- 
vantage of  these  works  to  the  Canadian  people,  are  as  great  to 
them  as  to  the  people  of  the  Western  and  Eastern  States.  Nor 
can  I  doubt,  that  if  the  several  Governments  of  these  States, 
would  bring  the  vast  importance  of  this  subject  before  the 
General  Government  at  Washington,  something  might  be  done 
to  carry  it  into  eifect.  If  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
could  be  persuaded  of  its  necessity,  it  seems  to  me  that  a 
Recipriocity  Treaty  with  Canada,  on  a  broad  and  enlarged 
basis  might  be  made  contingent  upon  the  immediate  construc- 
tion of  the  works  I  have  alluded  to. 

The  best  interests  of  both  countries  are  involved  in  the  prose- 
cution of  this  great  enterprise,  and  its  consideration  should  be 
approached  in  an  enlarged  and  liberal  spirit,  nor  do  I  think  that 
the  Eastern  and  Western  State  Governments  would  bo  back- 
ward in  assisting  Canada,  if  the  means  necessary  for  its  prose- 
tiou  were  required;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  pro- 
motion and  completion  of  such  a  navigation  would  reflect  the 
highest  honor  on  the  Canadian  and  United  States  Govern- 
ments, and  prove  of  vast  benefit  for  all  time  to  their  peoples. 

A  Western  Trader. 


y 

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